Teenagers and Cutting: What You Should Know

The Pain is More Than Skin Deep

The term "cutting" is relatively new to me but that doesn't mean it didn't happen when I was a teenager, it just means no one was talking about it. I remember some classmates showing off where they had burned themselves with a cigarette but I thought they were just playing around. They could have been joking I suppose but looking back I wonder if it was something more.

I remember quite clearly my love of writing came from teenage pain. I can still say quite certainly there is something about being a teenager that is extremely painful and hard to explain. There isn't always a clear-cut reason for the melancholy confusion but it is very real and everyone deals with his or her pain in a different way.

I found my love of writing as a teenager and I am thankful I had it. I still have those pain filled, lovelorn poems and stories I wrote all those years ago. I laugh a bit now when I read them but I also remember the need to let the feelings out. Teenagers (and some adults) who don't find such an avenue for release may turn to more dangerous activities and one of these is cutting.

What is Cutting?

Cutting is the act of inflicting pain on your own body by cutting your skin until it bleeds. Though some will mutilate themselves with burning cigarettes, matches or lighters cutting the skin with a sharp object tends to be the most common type of self-inflicted pain.

The frequency of this behavior is dependent upon the child. Some will cut themselves once a month while others will do it several times a day. Though cutting is a clear shout for help most teens will hide their behavior and make excuses if marks on their bodies are found by adults or friends.

Who

This can happen to anyone. Even the outgoing, star athlete type teenager can be a cutter. They may be the last ones you would expect but it happens. These teens may seem to be happy but they also may be under a lot of stress to live up to the expectations of their parents.